Duplicator feeder



May Z9, 1934. H. JAGGER 1,960,490

DUPLICATOR FEEDER Filed Deo. 16, 1931 Patented May 29, 1934 IUNITED STATES PATENT oir-"ricey lE-YWLICATOR FEEDER West Virginia Application December 16, 1931, Serial No.- 581,297

8 Claims.

feeding mechanism for f ceding-card stock andthe like to hectograph machines. One ofthe objects of the invention is to provide a drop type of 'feeder in association with a paper tray, the parts being carried by the reciprocating carriage and operating to relieve the operator from the physicalstrain heretofore involved in feeding the blank sheets to the impression rollers.

Another object is to provide feeding mechanism of such anature that a sheet deposited on the papertray when the carriage is at'the end of its' construction, fulfill` all requirements of service and manufacture, and whereby the quantity of work produced can be materially speeded upwhile eliminating excessive strain' on the operator.

With these and various other objects in View,

the invention .mayconsist `of.certain novel features of yconstruction and operationas willbe more fully described and particularly pointed outk in the specification, L drawingcandclaims appended hereto.

Inthe drawing which illustrates an embodiment of Ithedevice and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts- Figure 1 is an elevational view of a portion of a hectograph machine having associated therewith A v feeding mechanism Iconstructed inY accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail view taken sub-l stantially through the center ofthe paper tray and carriage and showing the construction of the feeding mechanism;

Figure 3 isa bottom` plan view taken along the line 3 3 of Figure 1,-'and Figure 4 is a sectional -View taken along line 4 4. of vFigure 1.

The invention is primarily adapted for 4association with hectograph Vmachines wherein acarriage carrying an impression roller is adaptedfor` reciprocation over a duplicating surface, and accordingly, Figure 1 disclosesthe'above-form of 1 eduplicator constructed of side'frames l10 held-in* i a"-margin guide 33 havingfa marginal fiange 34,

The invention relates to duplicating machines. and particularly to an improved construction ofi spaced relation by tie rods 11 and suitably supporting a flat platen or printing bed 12,- the bed having mounted thereon a gelatin band 13, which is wound at-each end of the bed upon sp-indles 14. When it is necessary to present a clean surface o-f gelatin for duplicating purposes the spindles are rotated to cause the band to travel over the printing bed being wound upon one spindle and'unwound from-the other.

Each of the side frames 10 presents atrack upon which is adapted-to slide a carriage designated in its entirety 15V. The carriage is provided with depending members 16 for supporting theI same upon the tracks and-includes spaced frame members 17connected byend frames 18, 70 one end-frame being provided with the adjustable stop 19 for engaging shoulder 20'- on the side frame 10 to limit the travel vofthe vcarriage forwardly, that is, toward the operator. suitably journaled within the carriage is a handle arm` casting designated'in its entirety by 2l, having journaled therein the impression roller 22y and secured thereto thev handle 23A which is' actuated by the operator to rock' the casting to locate the impression -rollerin operative or inoperative positions. Inthe former position the roller is in engagement-with the gelatin band 13,' Figure 2, forthepurpose of impressing a blank sheet or a mastersh'eet upon the gelatin surface, while in itsinoperativeposition the roller is raised oifof impression and is ini spaced relation with the pressure roller 24 journalled in arrns`25, pivotally secured at 26' to the side frames 18. It is thus seen that when the rollers are in inoperative positionv they areadapted toreceive a sheet of 'paper or a-card,las the case may be, the same-being directed between the rollers and into engagement withthelmarginstopfZ'l, whichfunctions to prop` erly locate the marginal edge of the sheetwith respecty to the duplicating surface. The above constructional features and mode of operation-are well understood by those skilledl inV the duplicating art and as the same constitutes no part of thel present invention further description is conside'red unnecessary.

suitably `secured by screws `-28V tolthey frame member `17 ofthe carriage-is apaper -tray'30 provided withmarginal flangesl and a depending upper' flange32`.` The tray isl adapted to receive which can be adjustably positioned transversely of the tray in 'orderto accommodate" various widths of paper, and accordingly is provided with a depending flange (35 engaging flange `324 of the tray. VAspringclip serves to resiliently main:

tain the respective flanges in engagement and the guide in operative position, permitting, however, ready removal of the guide should the same not be required.

For supporting the feeding mechanism from the tray depending lugs 37 and 38 are secured in spaced relation to the tray by screws 39 and are located immediately above the carriage frame member 17. Journalled in the lugs is a transverse shaft 40, preferably of square cross section throughout that portion of its length conned between the lugs, but having rounded extremities 41 forming bearings by means of which the shaft is rotatable with respect to the tray. The shaft forms a support for feeding arms 42 secured by screws 43 in spaced relation with the shaft and having integrally formed therewith an upwardly flanged extremity 44, the same connecting the arms and extending between the flange member 17 and the pressure roller 24 and terminating adjacent the base of tray 30. As the shaft is rotatable in the depending lugs resilient means must be provided for locating the arms in operative position, wherein the flange 44 projects above the base of the tray to retain thereon a sheet of paper or card, as the case may be. For this purpose a coil spring 45 is located on one rounded extremity of shaft 40` and has one end bent over the lug 37 while the other end is engaged in notch 46 provided in the end of the shaft. The spring resiliently urges the shaft in a counter-clockwise direction, Figure 2, and in order to properly locate the arms in operative position adjustable screws 47 are threaded to the arms 42 and so positioned as to engage the underside 'of the frame member 17. The screws thus limit the upward movement of the arms and so position the marginal ange 44 in its proper relation with respect to the paper tray. Adjustment is readily accomplished by merely rotating the screws, which can then be locked by means of the nuts 48.

The above construction provides a drop feeder which will function to retain the sheet to be duplicated on the tray until the feeding rollers are spaced for the purpose of having inserted between them the sheet to be duplicated. For this it is only necessary that the flange 44 be depressed which will release the sheet and the inclination of the tray 30 is such that the sheet or card supported thereon will be caused by gravity to drop and to be thus directed between the rollers. Assuming that the carriage is in its extreme forward position, the travel of the sheet will continue until it engages the margin stop 27 when the parts are in position for initiating a printing operation. The present invention renders the above operation automatic since the feeding mechanism is provided with a depending arm 50, non-rotatably secured to one end of shaft 40 and extending to a point below the printing bed 12 where the arm will engage a fixed stop 51 located on the side frame 10 of the machine. Engagement of the arm with the stop will take place as the carriage reaches the limit of its travel in a forward direction, that is, immediately before the stop 19 will contact shoulder 20 to position the carriage forwardly of the machine.

In order to lock the feeding mechanism in inoperative position the locking member 52 is slidablyk mounted on end 41 of the shaft adjacent lug 38, but is non-rotatably secured on the shaft by means of the diametrical slot 53 formed therein for engaging the pin 54 secured to the shaft, Fig- 1 ure 4. Extending from the locking member toward the lug 38 is a stud 55 adapted to engage in notch 56 formed in the lug. The location of the notch is such that the member 52 must be rotated in a direction to render the arms inoperative, whereupon the member can be slid toward the right, Figure 4, to locate the pin in the notch. With the parts in this position the shaft is held from rotation ina counter-clockwise direction and as the spring 45 urges the shaft in the same direction the parts are held in inoperative position with the flange 44 being located below the paper tray 30.

The above provides a drop feeder which is simple in construction and which is designed to operate automatically by the travel of the carriage to release the sheet at the proper time for feeding to the rollers. The stock is dropped on the tray when the carriage is in a convenient position and thus relieves the operator from unnecessary strain in reaching for a sheet as standard practice requires. Also, it is unnecessary for the operator to maintain his grasp on the sheet, thus leaving his hands free for removing a discharged sheet and for placing the same on the tray for receiving them, the mechanism automatically presenting to the feeding rollers the next sheet to be duplicated. The duplicating operations are thus speeded up and more copies can be turned out in less time with less fatigue and strain on the operator.

By the provision of a locking member the arms can be held in position below the surface of the tray allowing operation of the duplicator accord.- ing to standard practice, the locking means being rendered operative or inoperative as desired and being associated with the mechanism in a manner so as not to interfere with or minimize its operating efficiency.

It will be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiment of the device shown, which is merely by way of illustration and not limitation, as various and other forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a duplicating machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage having feeding rollers journalled therein, a paper tray secured to the carriage at an angle to the horizontal and directly above the rollers to discharge to the rollers sheets of paper deposited thereon, feeding arms rotatably mounted in associated position with the tray, said arms holding the sheet supported on the tray but being-operative to release the sheet, and means carried by the carriage for rendering the holding arms inoperative.

2. In a duplicating machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage having feeding rollers journalled therein, a paper tray secured to the carriage angularly with respect thereto, feeding arms positionedbelowsaidtrayandbeingrotatablysupported thereon, said arms in one position holding a sheet on the tray and in another position being operative to release the sheet, and releasable means carried by the carriage'for retaining the arms in said last mentioned position.

3. In a duplicating machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage having feeding rollers journalledtherein, apaper tray secured to the carriage, feeding arms rotatably supported on the tray and having a flanged end projecting above the plane of the tray, resilient means holding the arms in projecting position, operating means actuated by movement of the carriage to rotate the arms to locate the flanged end below the tray, and means carried by the carriage and operative to lock the arms in position below the tray when desired.

4. In a duplicating machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage having feeding rollers, a paper tray secured to the carriage, feeding arms rotatably supported on the tray and having a iianged end projecting above the plane of the tray, resilient means holding the arms in projecting position to hold a sheet on the tray, operating means positioned for actuation by movement of the carriage to locate the flanged end below the tray for releasing the sheet, and means carried by the carriage for locking the arms in the last mentioned position.

5. In a duplicating machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage having feeding rollers, a paper tray secured to the carriage, feeding arms having a fianged end projecting above the plane of the tray, a shaft rotatably supported from the tray and having the arms secured thereto, a locking member non-rotatably mounted on the shaft, and a lug projecting from the member, whereby said arms may be locked in position so that the end does not project above the tray.

6. In a duplicating machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage having feeding rollers, a paper tray secured to the carriage, feeding arms resiliently urged in a direction to project a flanged end above the plane of the tray, a shaft rotatably supported from the tray and having the arms secured thereto, a locking member nonrotatably but slidably mounted on the shaft, and a lug projecting from the member, whereby the member in one position locates the lug in the path of the shaft supporting means to lock the arms in inoperative position.

7. In a duplicating machine, a platen, a carriage mounted for reciprocatory movement over said bed, feeding rollers journaled in said car riage, a paper tray secured to the carriage, a paper stop movably mounted on the carriage, resilient means for holding said paper stop in a position wherein it holds a sheet of vpaper on said tray above said feeding rollers, means for displacing said paper stop against the action of said resilient means to release the paper on the tray, and means for regulating the amount of movement necessary to displace the paper stop from operative position.

8. In a duplicating machine, a platen, a carriage mounted for reciprocatory movement over said platen, feeding rollers journaled in said carriage, a paper tray secured to the carriage at an angle to the horizontal, a paper stop pivotally mounted in said carriage to hold a sheet of paper on said tray above said feeding rollers, resilient means for holding said paper stop in its functionally operative position, means for displacing said paper stop from its functionally operative position against the action of said resilient means, and means carried by the carriage for securing said paper stop in a functionally inoperative position.

HUBERT JAGGER. 

